Balancing Kids and Making Meals
Abbie @ MMB
No matter if you’ve been parenting for years or you’re just starting out on this journey, one problem you’re going to have for years to come is dealing with meals. Figuring out how to handle the kids when they’re small and needing copious amounts of attention is a problem that is here to stay. So settle in momma, and remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint! Here are a few ideas that may help your eating process. Why not give one or two of them a try?
Saving time in meal prep
I’ll be really honest, I’m one of those girls who hates to make decisions. So I’ve been making meal choices all at once, and buying groceries for a week or two. Planning my menu for the week or two weeks has definitely helped make mealtimes more efficient. Not only are my grocery list more effective, but my meals are better and I can even streamline the cooking process sometimes and organize my meals to utilize leftovers better or prep my cooking ahead of time.
Meal Services
Meal services like Blue Apron or Plated are more expensive, but definitely eliminate a lot of the meal prep steps. You choose your meals from options and the ingredients and recipe are delivered to your door fresh and ready to go. Usually recipes have good instructions and usually don't need a large amount of time. They will also help you learn some new skills in the kitchen, which is always fun!
Instant Pot
I had been seeing lots of friends raving about the Instant Pot on my newsfeed, so I caught the Amazon prime day sale and took the plunge. I've only had it for a few weeks, but so far I'm calling it a pretty great addition to our busy lifestyle. I've found some great recipes on Pinterest and have enjoyed a few really tasty “toss it in and walk away” kind of recipes that are just as easy as the crock pot but much faster!
Other Ideas
Depending on your kids ages, your recipe, and time availability you can get them involved in the process. Grab a step stool and let your kids help wash the veggies, toss ingredients into the pot, or stir if you’re feeling really brave! But when your kids are too young for that, you can always involve them by babywearing. Just scoop them into your favorite carrier and let them watch the proceedings of dinner.
Jenny Ditch and her husband live in Illinois and are excited and nervous that soon enough, their daughter will probably have a lot to say about their meal choices.
